1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit, a memory device, a memory module, and a computer system. The present invention further relates to a method of operating a memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Demands imposed on large scale integrated circuits are constantly increasing. In the case of memory devices, said demands mainly translate into speed and storage capacity. As far as high speed memory devices are concerned, the computer industry has established the so-called DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) as economic means for high-speed and high-capacity data storage.
Although a DRAM requires a continuous refreshing of the stored information, speed and information density, combined with a relatively low cost, have put the DRAM in a pivotal position in the field of information technology. Almost every modern computer system, ranging, for example, from PDAs over notebook computers and personal computers to high-end servers, take advantage of this economic and fast data storage technology.
While the storage capacity of modern memory devices is steadily increased, also the manufacturing costs of a modern memory device may be an important factor for its economic success. At the same time, it may be required to offer memory devices in a range of product variants, in order to ensure economic success. In order to keep manufacturing costs at a minimum, it is a common method to apply options and product variants at a top-most possible level. As far as modern memory devices are concerned, options and variants mostly apply to storage capacity, access speed, and port width. Whereas the former two issues maybe solved on the dye level, the latter issue of providing different port widths may also require different connections schemes at the packaging level. Conventionally, memory devices therefore comprise identical dies which may be connected in different ways, according to the required specifications, during packaging. This so-called bond option determines the actual port width of a memory device at the latest possible moment and, therefore, allows for the use of identical dies for more than one type of the ready product, hence substantially reducing manufacturing costs.
Since conventional manufacturing processes may still require different packaging, chip carriers, and/or bonding, manufacturing costs and process complexity may be still too high for an economic provision of modern memory devices with options and product variations. Conventional memory devices may therefore offer the possibility to activate said product options and variants on the basis of identical ready devices. Variants and options may be activated, for example, via writing respective command values into special registers or via the respective application of signals at dedicated input terminals.